Each month, we’ll highlight one new trip review submitted by an IndependentTraveler.com reader. If your review is featured, you’ll win an IndependentTraveler.com logo item!

In this month’s featured review, reader Cami-sphere goes on a trekking adventure to the top of South America’s Mount Roraima. “The plan today was to start out early to explore the summit closer to camp rather than hike to Triple Point where Guyana, Brazil and Venezuela meet,” writes Cami-sphere. “As we headed to the scenic point, Marco identified indigenous plants and he walked us through an area where small quartz crystals lined the path. He also introduced us to a baby black toad he had spotted in one of the plants. Along the way, we greeted other trekkers with ‘Feliz Ano Nuevo.’ It was New Year’s Day and we were all upbeat. As I walked I forgot what it took to get to this point and it came over me that this was a unique and very special experience — there’s probably nowhere else on earth like this!”

In light of all the precipitation flurrying around in our forecasts and our backyards, we figured why sully winter’s reputation with complaints about shoveling and commuting? Winter can be a downright beautiful season, and it’s so much prettier when you can look and don’t have to touch. We bring you five frozen snowscapes from across the globe to remind you that winter’s wrath can be worth a serious marvel (right after you’re done digging yourself out of it).

Triglav National Park in the Julian Alps of Slovenia

The only national park in scenic Slovenia, Triglav gains its name from the country’s highest mountain. Its first recorded ascent was in 1778.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Yunnan Province, in Southwestern China

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a mountain massif, or small mountain range in southwest China. Its highest peak, Shanzidou, has only been climbed once — by an American expedition team in 1987.

Once a capital of Siberia, the town of Tobolsk is located at the confluence of the Tobol and Irtysh rivers. Once a strong center of Russian colonization, the region declined when it was bypassed by the Trans-Siberian Railroad. It is now one of Russia’s largest petrochemical complexes.

A Vast Glacier in Patagonia

Shared by Argentina and Chile, Patagonia is a dense region of natural wonders, including this stretch of glacier that goes for miles. The Perito Moreno glacier is one of the region’s top tourist attractions.

The Town of Tasiilq in East Greenland

With about 2,000 inhabitants, Tasiilaq is the most populous community on the remote eastern coast of Greenland. This tundra region occasionally experiences piteraqs, or cold and damaging winds. Piteraq means “that which attacks you” in the local language.

Famous beaches Ipanema (pictured above) and Copacabana have put Rio on the map, but the city is home to numerous sunny stretches of sand. Looking to visit? Consider family-friendly Praia de Leblon and beautiful Praia Vermelha. For a different kind of coastal view, drive the Great Ocean Road, which runs along Australia’s southern coast and is one of the world’s most spectacular drives.

Longyearbyen, with a population of just 2,000, is located on the island of Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Svalbard chain. This part of the Arctic region is most popular with travelers looking to view polar bears in their natural habitat. At the other extreme is Ushuaia, near the very southern tip of South America — a common jumping-off point for cruises to Antarctica.

Iguazu Falls (also spelled Iguassu) is located in the heart of the jungle on the border between Argentina and Brazil. In addition to the falls themselves, the park is worth a visit for wildlife such as butterflies, coatis, monkeys and colorful birds. Victoria Falls can be visited from either Zambia or Zimbabwe, and activities include bungee jumping, whitewater rafting and flightseeing.

When you work in travel, everywhere is somewhere you want to go at some point, and for that reason, Peru has been on my own must-visit list for a while. But it wasn’t until the photos, stories and travel plans of various friends began to pour in across social media recently that I realized I hadn’t given this destination its due: Peru is most certainly having a moment.

Machu Picchu was voted the top landmark in the world this year in TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice awards, and Conde Nast Traveler highlighted Peru among up-and-coming foodie hot spots in a round-up of 2014 travel trends. Chef-guided culinary market tours, Pisco distilleries, vineyards and the chocolate museum in Cuzco attract travelers looking to both see and taste the South American nation often called its gastronomic capital.

Peru was on Jamey Bergman’s bucket list, the U.K. Production and River Section Editor of our sister site, Cruise Critic. He has since checked it off, and shared with us what it was like to experience one of his bucket list destinations:

“I had high expectations for my visit to Machu Picchu, and my experience there was totally unforgettable. We arranged local transport (train to Aguas Calientes from Cuzco and bus to the site), and arrived just before dawn. We had the place to ourselves for a couple of hours before all the tour groups arrived, and it was magical. We hiked up to the Sun Gate for sunrise, and spent the rest of the day exploring the ruins. It’s profound to visit a place that meant so much to an ancient culture that’s completely disappeared. “

Is Peru on your list? Do you have a story of a bucket list destination that you’ve been able to cross off? Share with us in the comments.

– written by Brittany Chrusciel

Editor’s Note: IndependentTraveler.com is published by The Independent Traveler, Inc., a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, Inc.

Pictured above is Rothenburg ob der Tauber, one of Germany’s most picture-perfect medieval villages. It’s located in Bavaria along the Romantic Road. Argentina’s Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the jewels of the Patagonia region.

As a traveler, is there any better feeling than finally crossing a trip off your bucket list? I did it myself last week with an expedition cruise to the Galapagos Islands aboard the 32-passenger Evolution; the trip was run by International Expeditions, which offers nature-based trips around the globe.

After so many years of building up expectations in my head about this trip, I can confirm a few things: the wildlife was just as exotic and unafraid of humans as I’d been told (swimming with sea lions is a memory I’ll never forget), and all those light-colored, quick-drying clothes I was advised to pack were definitely useful under the harsh equatorial sun. But as with any trip, there were a few lessons I could only learn through experience.

1. Bring an umbrella (and not just for rain).
Are you sensitive to the sun? Bring your own beach umbrella! I’d initially packed an umbrella in case of rain in Guayaquil (where I spent a few nights before and after the cruise), but I ended up using it to provide shade during a few ultra-sunny beach days. It can also be useful for hikes, as trees can be scarce on the more arid islands.

2. Always keep your camera with you, even at meal times.
You never know when a pod of dolphins or a magnificent frigate bird will cruise by the bow of the ship, and you might miss a sweet photo op if you have to run back to your cabin to grab your camera.

3. Arrive at least a day early.
This advice applies to anyone boarding a cruise ship or joining an organized tour, but it’s particularly important in the Galapagos, where flights are limited and not all islands have airports. One family on our sailing arrived a couple of hours too late to catch our flight from Guayaquil to the islands, and ended up missing two full days of our weeklong itinerary.

4. Pack properly for snorkeling.
While your ship may provide wetsuits for snorkeling, consider packing a dive skin to wear under it both for warmth (especially between June and November when the water is colder) and for sun protection. Also, don’t forget your head! One fellow passenger, whose hair was thinning a bit, said that he wished he’d brought a swim cap to protect his scalp from the sun. Finally, consider bringing some alcohol-based drops to help dry your ears after snorkeling; this can help prevent swimmer’s ear and other infections.

5. Consider altitude sickness when planning your route.
The two gateway cities for flights to the Galapagos are Quito and Guayaquil, and they each have their pros and cons. While many travelers consider Quito to be the more interesting city, keep in mind that it’s located at an altitude of more than 9,000 feet, while Guayaquil is at sea level. Not everyone suffers from altitude sickness, but it can be debilitating — something to consider if you’re only going to be in town for a day or two.

6. Put the camera away.
When you’re standing incredibly close to an animal, it’s tempting to keep click-click-clicking away with your camera. But at one point, when I found myself watching a pair of albatrosses courting each other through the lens instead of with my own two eyes, I decided it was time to drop the camera and simply drink in the experience for a few moments — because who knows when I’d ever have this chance again?